The present invention relates to a portable information communication terminal apparatus such as a portable telephone. More particularly, the invention present concerns a portable information communication terminal apparatus to which a plurality of video camera units having different specifications can be selectively attached, and which is capable of switching over its internal operation by identifying the specifications of the attached video camera unit.
Portable telephones are rapidly becoming widespread as progress is made in trends toward the compact size, lower price, and multiple function allowing not only speech but interchange of electronic mail and access to the Internet, for example.
If recording and transmission of images become possible in the portable telephones, the portable telephones will become more convenient. In addition, as a portable telephone capable of recording and transmitting images, an information communication terminal apparatus described in, for example, JP-A-11-69214 is known. In this information communication terminal apparatus, an upper housing and a lower housing are rotatably connected by a connecting portion, and a video camera and a camera lens are accommodated in this connecting portion. According to this information communication terminal apparatus, the recording and transmission of images become possible, and a further multiple function of the portable telephone can be realized.
The video camera and the camera lens in the aforementioned information communication terminal apparatus are accommodated in the connecting portion of the video camera, and are not arranged to be detachable. In addition, consideration has not been given to selectively attaching or detaching a plurality of video cameras having different specifications.
The invention has been devised in view of the above-described circumstances, and its object is to provide a portable information communication terminal apparatus which a plurality of video cameras having different specifications can be selectively attached to or detached from, and which is capable of switching over its internal operation by identifying the specifications of the attached video camera.
The portable information communication terminal apparatus in accordance with the invention is characterized by comprising: a camera-unit attaching portion capable of selectively attaching or detaching a plurality of video camera units having different specifications; identifying means for identifying the specifications of the video camera unit attached to the camera unit attaching portion; and controlling means for changing over internal operation in accordance with a result of identification by the identifying means. By virtue of this configuration, it is possible to selectively attach or detach a plurality of video camera units having different specifications, and change over the internal operation by identifying the specifications of the attached video camera unit.